The field of the present invention is pneumatic hammers. More specifically, the present invention is directed to an improved pneumatic hammer having an integral sound attenuation system.
Pneumatic tools and particularly hammers of any substantial size have always had the problem of being too noisy. This noise partially results from the rapid release of compressed air once it has driven the piston on a power stroke. This problem of noise has been emphasized by recent local and national interest in noise abatement. Many attempts have been made to reduce the noise associated with the release of compressed air from pneumatic hammers. Some devices for the reduction of noise eminating from such pneumatic hammers have been developed. One solution has been to add a conventional muffler to the exhaust ports of a conventional pneumatic hammer. However, these mufflers add weight, add substantially to the size of the unit and require sturdy means for fastening to prevent untimely detachment of the mufflers due to the harsh vibratory and shock loads developed by operation and use of the hammer. Another approach has been to completely encase the hammer and its outlets in a shell. However, such devices require complicated muffler structures making them more expensive and more prone to failure. Further, such devices add substantially to the weight and size of the unit and are subject to the extreme vibrational and shock loads developed by the hammer. Thus, add-on mufflers and the like, developed as an attempt to reduce the exhaust noise of such pneumatic hammers, have met with only limited success. Problems of cost of manufacture, size, weight and increased tendency toward failure have resulted.